Virginia Tech Victim's Families Support Lawsuit

BLACKSBURG, Va. (WUSA) -- Several families whose children died or were injured in the Virginia Tech shootings made ribbons to take to Denver for the tenth anniversary of the Columbine shootings.

Colorado closed the so-called gun show loophole after the school shootings in 1999. Several of the Tech families are hoping to do the same in Virginia.

But they also think more changes need to happen to prevent a repeat of the tragedy. Even though most of the Virginia Tech victims' families accepted a settlement with the state, many agree with the two families who filed a lawsuit.

Celeste Peterson, whose daughter Erin was killed by Seung-Hui Cho on April 16, 2007, says she filled suit "to get to the truth." She says if she receives any money, she'll give it away in scholarships to at risk youths, which is what Erin would have wanted.

The relatives of Julie Pryde also filed suit. The lawsuit names eight officials at Virginia Tech, including President Charles Steger and the police chief. It accused them of negligence and of failing to protect the students and staff.

But many students and parents who were at the vigil Thursday night dislike the idea of a lawsuit against Tech. One parent of two former students called the suit 'blood money." Ann Eck says she can't understand how anybody who lost a child could sue for money over it.

Peterson's attorney, Robert Hall, says they only listed the 10-million dollar amount because the law requires it. It also requires them to list the names of people responsible.

Hall said the morning of April 16, after Cho committed the first two murders and was on the loose, Steger and others chose to protect the image of the school over the safety of students.

Hall says the staff who worked in administration were warned.

"Why were they able to tell their co-workers to stay home and not the students?" questions Hall.

Hall filed the lawsuit in Fairfax County because both Erin Peterson and Cho were from Fairfax County. He expects the case to go to trial within a year.